Thin-wafer current sensors

ABSTRACT

Embodiments relate to IC current sensors fabricated using thin-wafer manufacturing technologies. Such technologies can include processing in which dicing before grinding (DBG) is utilized, which can improve reliability and minimize stress effects. While embodiments utilize face-up mounting, face-down mounting is made possible in other embodiments by via through-contacts. IC current sensor embodiments can present many advantages while minimizing drawbacks often associated with conventional IC current sensors.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) currentsensors and more particularly to IC current sensors fabricated accordingto a thin-wafer manufacturing process.

BACKGROUND

Desired properties of galvanically isolated integrated circuit (IC)current sensors include high magnetic sensitivity; high mechanicalstability and reliability; low stress influence to Hall sensor elementsnear chip borders; high thermal uniformity and low thermal gradients;high isolation voltage; and low manufacturing costs. Conventionalcurrent sensors can include one or more features or be manufactured inways that aim to address these desired properties.

For example, some current sensors use the leadframe as a current lead.Others also include a magnetic core. Such sensors, however, can beexpensive to manufacture.

Other current sensors include additional layers, such as specialmagnetic layers on top of the silicon die or a thick metal layer formedon the isolation layer. These sensors are also expensive, and the formercan be sensitive to disturbance fields and can suffer from drawbacksrelated to the positioning of the current leading wire outside of theIC.

Therefore, there is a need for a galvanically isolated IC current sensorhaving desired properties while minimizing drawbacks.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a thin-wafer integrated circuit current sensorcomprises a current conductor; a thin-wafer semiconductor chipsubstantially free of dicing defects more than about 10 micrometers (μm)inward from chip edges; at least one magnetic field sensing elementarranged on a surface of the thin-wafer semiconductor chip; and anisolation layer between the current conductor and the thin-wafersemiconductor chip.

In an embodiment, a method comprises dicing less than a full thicknessof a silicon wafer from a first side; applying a laminating tape to thefirst side of the silicon wafer; back-grinding a second side of thesilicon wafer; applying a dicing tape to the second side of the siliconwafer; removing the laminating tape; overetching the silicon wafer;singulating semiconductor chips of the semiconductor wafer; and forminga magnetic field current sensor with at least one of the singulatedsemiconductor chips.

In an embodiment, a thin-wafer integrated circuit current sensorcomprises a current conductor; a thin-wafer semiconductor chip having atleast one over-etched dicing-before-grinding (DBG) edge, the at leastone edge comprising a defect region extending inward about 10micrometers (μm) from the at least one edge; at least one magnetic fieldsensing element arranged on the thin-wafer semiconductor chip; and anisolation layer between the current conductor and the thin-wafersemiconductor chip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of thefollowing detailed description of various embodiments of the inventionin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a sensor according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2A depicts a flow chart of a dicing before grinding processaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 2B depicts a flow diagram of a dicing before grinding processaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 depicts wafer images according to embodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of a sensor according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of a sensor according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of a sensor according to an embodiment.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in thedrawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood,however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to theparticular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments relate to IC current sensors fabricated using thin-wafermanufacturing technologies. Such technologies can include processing inwhich dicing before grinding (DBG) is utilized, which can improvereliability and minimize stress effects. While embodiments utilizeface-up mounting, face-down mounting is made possible in otherembodiments by via through-contacts or other contacts to the surface ofthe chip coupled to an isolation layer. IC current sensor embodimentscan present many advantages while minimizing drawbacks often associatedwith conventional IC current sensors.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of an IC current sensor 100 comprisesa current conductor 102, an isolation layer 104 formed thereupon, and athin-wafer chip 106 coupled to a signal pin 108 by a bond wire 110. Inan embodiment, thin-wafer chip 106 is manufactured according to athin-wafer manufacturing process, which can include wafer dicing beforegrinding and optional backside etching and will be discussed in moredetail below.

Magnetic sensor elements 112, such as Hall effect elements in anembodiment, are arranged on a surface of thin-wafer chip 106. In anembodiment, current conductor 102 includes one or more slots 114 whichcan help to define a current flow path through current conductor 102.When sensor elements 102 are positioned relative to slots 114, each slot114 can strategically concentrate current flow lines to maximize amagnetic field in the vicinity of each sensor element 112. Applicantsalso refer to co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/630,596,12/711,471 and 12/756,652, which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

Utilizing a thin-wafer process, thin-wafer chip 106 can have a thicknessmuch less than 200 μm, such as about 50 μm or less or even about 20 μmor less in embodiments. Such thicknesses are much smaller than those ofconventional thick wafers, reducing the vertical (with respect to theorientation of FIG. 1 on the page) distance d between sensor elements112 and current conductor 102. This can improve the accuracy of sensor100 by avoiding stress effects due to the smaller ratio of chipthickness d to edge distance e. For example, e can be about 75 μm and din a range of about 25 μm to about 65 μm in thin wafer fabricationembodiments. While all chips experience some degree of stress,homogenous stress across the chip is better than having areas ofinhomogeneous stress. In embodiments, inhomogeneous areas occur near theedge of chip 100. Thus, edge distance e is a critical stress distance,particularly if e is less than d. With sensor elements 112 positionedcloser to the edge because of the thinner wafer, more area of chip 106is homogenous rather than inhomogeneous because distance e is notsmaller or comparable to chip thickness d. Further, it is desired toposition sensor elements 112 near slots 114 but also to have slots 114spaced farther apart from one other without increasing the chip size.Thus, sensor 100 enables a more efficient use of chip space because ofthe more homogenous stress and the related positioning advantages themore homogenous stress presents. A significant advantage of smallerdistance d is also an increased sensitivity of sensor 100 given thesmaller distance between sensor elements 112 and current that flowsthrough current conductor 102. Further, the smaller thickness of chip106 compared to the thickness of current conductor 102 can provide moreuniform and/or smaller temperature gradients and better compensation ofcircuits on chip, along with higher accuracy. Thin-wafer manufacturingalso provides cleaner, smoother edges of chip 106, with fewer chips andother defects, and later-developing cracks, that can affect reliability,increase stress and otherwise reduce the lifetime performance of sensor100.

Referring to FIG. 2A, an embodiment of a thin-wafer manufacturingprocess 200 is illustrated. At 202, a silicon wafer is partially, suchas half-cut in an embodiment, diced. At 204, laminating tape is appliedto one side of the silicon wafer before back grinding to thin the waferat 206. At 208, dicing tape is applied to the wafer, on the side withoutthe laminating tape, which is then removed from the wafer at 210. Anover-etching process is then carried out at 212.

Another embodiment is depicted in FIG. 2B. Process 201 illustrates anadditional plasma etch 207 between back grinding at 206 and frame or tapmounting at 208.

Compared with other manufacturing processes, thin-wafer process 200includes dicing before grinding, i.e., 202 before 206. Further, thedicing at 202 is partial-cut dicing, compared with conventionalprocesses which saw through the entire thickness of the wafer. Dicingbefore grinding, as in process, 200 results in a thin-wafer that hassmoother edges, free of the chipping, cracking and other defectsassociated with other methods. This can be seen in FIG. 3, which depictsimages of a standard process (on the left) and a thin-wafer processusing dicing before grinding and a plasma etch (on the right). In thestandard process wafer image, chips and cracking caused by the saw bladeas it cuts through the silicon wafer extend about 40 μm into the waferfrom the sawing gap.

In contrast, the dicing before grinding wafer image shows chipsextending only about 10 μm or less into the edge of the wafer from thesawing gap. In general, current sensors are very sensitive to stresscaused by piezo-effects that change the alter the sensitivity of thesensing elements, more so than other sensors. While a thin die isdesired, thin dies have stress challenges. Using over-etching as part ofthe dicing before grinding thin wafer process further refines andimproves the chip edges such that a thin-wafer is suitable for use in acurrent sensor.

Another embodiment of a thin-wafer current sensor 400 is depicted inFIG. 4. Sensor 400 is similar to sensor 100 but is mounted to a printedcircuit board (PCB) 416 on top of thin-wafer chip surface 106. PCB 416includes a copper trace 418 on the bottom side of PCB 416, and solderbumps 420 couple thin-wafer chip surface 106 to trace 418 of PCB 416.

In FIG. 5, a thin-wafer current sensor 500 is mounted face-down to acopper trace 518 of a PCB 516 by a via through-hole 522. Through-hole522 can be easily accommodated by embodiments of a thin-wafermanufacturing process as discussed herein and do not require theconductor to be smaller than the die as in conventional face-downmounting because embodiments permit formation of contacts from the rearside of the die. Sensor 500 can therefore have an increased magneticfield signal because of the smaller distance d2 between sensor elements512 and current conductor 502 due to the face-down mounting of chip 506.Sensor elements 512 are depicted here arranged on a bottom surface ofthin-wafer chip 506

In another face-down mounting embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, athin-wafer current sensor 600 comprises a via through-hole 622 coupledto a signal pin 608 by a bond wire 610. Similar to sensor 500 of FIG. 5,sensor 600 can provide an increased magnetic field signal because of thesmaller distance d2 between sensor elements 612 and current conductor602.

In another embodiment, a thin-wafer semiconductor chip is coupled to acarrier or signal-conducting layer comprising, for example, glass orceramic. This carrier layer is substantially thicker, such as at leasttwice as thick, than the thin-wafer semiconductor chip.

Various embodiments of systems, devices and methods have been describedherein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are notintended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be appreciated,moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have beendescribed may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additionalembodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes,implantation locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosedembodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized withoutexceeding the scope of the invention.

Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that theinvention may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individualembodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are notmeant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the variousfeatures of the invention may be combined. Accordingly, the embodimentsare not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, theinvention may comprise a combination of different individual featuresselected from different individual embodiments, as understood by personsof ordinary skill in the art.

Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such thatno subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicitdisclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above isfurther limited such that no claims included in the documents areincorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference ofdocuments above is yet further limited such that any definitionsprovided in the documents are not incorporated by reference hereinunless expressly included herein.

For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it isexpressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraphof 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for”or “step for” are recited in a claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A thin-wafer integrated circuit current sensorcomprising: a current conductor; a thin-wafer semiconductor chipsubstantially free of dicing defects more than about 10 micrometers (μm)inward from chip edges; at least one magnetic field sensing elementarranged on a surface of the thin-wafer semiconductor chip; and anisolation layer between the current conductor and the thin-wafersemiconductor chip.
 2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least onemagnetic field sensing element comprises a Hall effect element.
 3. Thesensor of claim 1, wherein the current conductor comprises at least oneslot.
 4. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the at least one magnetic fieldsensing element is arranged relative to an end of the at least one slot.5. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic fieldsensing element is arranged on a first surface of the thin-wafersemiconductor chip and the isolation layer is adjacent a second surfaceof the thin-wafer semiconductor chip, the first and second surfaces ofthe thin-wafer semiconductor chip being parallel to one another.
 6. Thesensor of claim 5, wherein an area of the second surface of thethin-wafer semiconductor chip is less than an area of an adjacentsurface of the isolation layer.
 7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein thethin-wafer semiconductor chip is coupled to a signal pin by a bond wire.8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the thin-wafer semiconductor chip iscoupled to a printed circuit board (PCB) by a solder bump.
 9. The sensorof claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensing element isarranged on a first surface of the thin-wafer semiconductor chipopposite the isolation layer.
 10. The sensor of claim 9, wherein thethin-wafer semiconductor chip comprises a via through-hole.
 11. Thesensor of claim 10, wherein the thin-wafer semiconductor chip is coupledto a printed circuit board (PCB) by the via through-hole.
 12. The sensorof claim 10, wherein the via through-hole of the thin-wafersemiconductor chip is coupled to a signal pin by a bond wire.
 13. Thesensor of claim 9, wherein an area of the first surface of thethin-wafer semiconductor chip is less than an area of an oppositesurface of the isolation layer.
 14. The sensor of claim 1, wherein thethin-wafer semiconductor chip is coupled to at least one of asignal-conducting layer or a carrier layer, wherein the at least onesignal conducting layer or carrier layer comprises at least one of glassor a ceramic and has a thickness that is at least twice a thickness ofthe thin-wafer semiconductor chip.
 15. The sensor of claim 1, whereinthe thin-wafer semiconductor chip is over-etched.
 16. The sensor ofclaim 1, wherein the thin-wafer semiconductor chip has a thickness ofless than about 100 micrometers (μm).
 17. The sensor of claim 1, whereina distance between the at least one magnetic field sensing element andthe current conductor is less than about 100 micrometers (μm).
 18. Amethod comprising: dicing less than a full thickness of a silicon waferfrom a first side; applying a laminating tape to the first side of thesilicon wafer; back-grinding a second side of the silicon wafer;applying a dicing tape to the second side of the silicon wafer; removingthe laminating tape; overetching the silicon wafer; singulatingsemiconductor chips of the semiconductor wafer; and forming a magneticfield current sensor with at least one of the singulated semiconductorchips.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein dicing less than a fullthickness of a silicon wafer from a first side comprises half-cut dicingthe silicon wafer from the first side.
 20. The method of claim 18,wherein back-grinding a second side of the silicon wafer thins andsingulates the silicon wafer.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein thedicing occurs before the back-grinding.
 22. The method of claim 21,wherein the dicing before back-grinding and over-etching providesingulated semiconductor chips substantially free of defects more thanabout 10 micrometers (μm) from an edge of the semiconductor chip. 23.The method of claim 18, wherein forming a magnetic field current sensorcomprises: providing an isolation layer on a current conductor; andproviding the at least singulated semiconductor chip on the isolationlayer.
 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising forming thecurrent conductor to include at least one magnetic field-concentratingslot.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein providing the at least onesingulated semiconductor chip on the isolation layer comprises arrangingthe at least one singulated semiconductor chip such that at least onemagnetic field sensing element is proximate an end of at least onemagnetic field-concentrating slot.
 26. A thin-wafer integrated circuitcurrent sensor comprising: a current conductor; a thin-wafersemiconductor chip having at least one over-etcheddicing-before-grinding (DBG) edge, the at least one edge comprising adefect region extending inward about 10 micrometers (μm) from the atleast one edge; at least one magnetic field sensing element arranged onthe thin-wafer semiconductor chip; and an isolation layer between thecurrent conductor and the thin-wafer semiconductor chip.